State of emergency on the table in France as PM Lecornu seeks partial curfews

After looting and violence in France over the weekend, President Emmanuel Macron is said to be able to declare a state of emergency. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said on Monday that a state of emergency could be declared if deemed necessary.

Partial curfews

In events that followed student demonstrations demanding better conditions in education, public buildings were set on fire and shops and businesses were looted in some cities. Police responded to protesters with water cannon and tear gas. The unrest has raised concerns over public security and political stability months before the presidential election.

After a crisis meeting, Lecornu said he had asked regional authorities to impose localized, partial curfews from Monday evening. The aim is to protect businesses in particular and prevent further looting. Saying Paris as a whole would not be placed under curfew, Lecornu said on the state of emergency:

However, at this stage partial curfews are more appropriate.

Sébastien Lecornu

Lecornu also said the disorder is concentrated in urban centres and that chaos is not present everywhere in France. He announced a dedicated support fund for the affected businesses.

Interior Minister's resignation

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez offered his resignation, saying police had lost control in some cities at the weekend; Macron did not accept it. Nuñez said a series of measures to stop and prevent looters and vandals would be implemented, with more police and gendarmes deployed on the ground.

Lecornu also said intelligence services had warned the government about far-left groups. In France, a state of emergency grants authorities temporary powers beyond ordinary policing; curfews, movement restrictions and bans on demonstrations can be among the measures.